Entwined Souls
by Marina Ka-Fai
Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes? [Crimson Peak/The Lodgers crossover]
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 1**

This was the end and Sean knew it. There was no way he could escape the watery trap he had willingly fallen into. And while he knew he was going to die right here, he had never imagined he'd meet his end in such a way. He had survived war, amputation, Dessie and his crew, to die under the huge house in the forest everyone avoided. And while he certainly didn't want to die, he knew that it was going to happen. There was no way he could escape this. To think that only three days before, he was finally returning home, embracing his mother and his sister. Three days before, he met, or met again actually, the mysterious and attractive Rachel, the recluse from the dilapidated house in the forest near the village. Never in his life had he felt so drawn to someone, so connected to someone! Thanks to that, he had been able to overlook the fact that she wasn't particularly nice to him when they first talked. And he had seen in her eyes something he had seen too often on the battlefield, in his comrades' eyes or in the eyes of the soldiers from the opposite side:

Rachel was scared.

Rachel was scared and desperate.

They had talked the following days. He had thought he understood her, at least a bit, and she had seemed to understand him. Hence why, despite everything, even her stories of ghosts he hadn't believed in, that night, he went to the manor and, facing her twin brother, he announced his intention to take Rachel away from this place, at her own request.

Midnight was drawing close and the frail brother had opposed more resistance than he was actually capable of. Something was possessing him. Sean had done his best to neutralize him without killing him. Despite everything, he was still Rachel's only family and life was sacred. He knew it sounded hypocritical, he had killed under the excuse of being at war. And the soldiers he had killed or helped to kill, the ones he had wounded to the point they had died later in agony, none of them wanted to die. But the key difference between Edward and them was that they were soldiers. When they had joined the army, they had agreed on killing or getting killed. It was part of the job. The poor boy had ended up accidentally stabbing himself as the knife fell on him, but he had managed to pin him down on the floor, putting a dagger through his left hand. Rachel had managed to escape the room she was locked in and rescue him. Midnight had rung its twelve bells. Weird shadows and noises were filling the hall. That was when Sean had realized Rachel hadn't lied to him. The house she was living in was definitely haunted, causing her isolation, her brother's madness. He didn't know the full extent. He didn't need to. He knew enough to understand they needed to get out. The main door closed before their eyes and wouldn't budge despite his efforts to pry it open. But before he could think of trying to kick it open with his wooden leg, he heard Rachel, resigned, almost beaten, saying they wouldn't be able to escape, the ghosts had won. He didn't pay any attention, he believed she was just scared, and deep down, he was too. But suddenly, the sound of something falling in the water startled him.

Rachel was nowhere to be seen and a trap leading to a watery area was open.

Those bastards had certainly dragged her down there. He didn't think twice and dived in, ready to take her out of there. His eyes had widened when he saw that, under the manor, in that cellar, was another manor, the copy of it, just upside down, as if it had been its identical but symmetrical twin. He had found Rachel surrounded by naked people, clearly dead, the ghosts he had assumed, as they moved and their eyes were wide and black, with no pupils. He had tried to grab her but other creatures grabbed him, yanking him away from her, and her from him as she tried to rescue him. They unfastened his wooden leg, crippling him more, rendering him almost unable to swim. He could still, thank God his leg had been cut off a bit under his knee! But they were several, grabbing him by the waist, weighing him down, making sure he sunk to the point that not only he wouldn't be able to save Rachel, but he'd also run out of air and drown. Everything around him was dark, he could feel his lung reaching their limits and starting to fill with water, his strength leaving him. They were still holding him. Battling them was useless.

"Rachel..." He thought

He hoped she had managed to reach the surface, that she had survived. Was he the price for her freedom? The one she had to pay to be free of that place? Was that their deal? She could be free but not with him? He thought of his mother, of his sister. They'd be so worried about his disappearance! Would they even have his body back after a while so they could mourn him?

"Rachel is saved." A ghastly voiced echoed

If he had been able to, Sean would have sighed in relief. They were still making him sink. He was the price to pay. He was starting to drift away when he heard another voice, a male, then the first voice. He couldn't understand them anymore, they were arguing but he couldn't understand any word they exchanged. He felt lighter as the beings that kept him imprisoned let go of him and stared at him without a word. The male voice echoed again. Suddenly, they vanished. The water around him started to form a vortex, everything was blurry and he felt pushed back up. His lungs started to burn as he was reaching the surface, and for some reason, all he could see was something as red as blood. He broke the surface, his body covered by some kind of clay. He inhaled painfully, his whole body aching, and he started to cough like a madman, as he instinctively grabbed the bricks near him, trying to get out.

 _XXXXX_

"And now, we are completely done with Margaret, dear brother." Lucille sweetly told Thomas as she locked the chest into a wardrobe.

Thomas looked away. Yes, they needed money to save Allerdale Hall. But this felt so wrong! That poor woman had done nothing wrong, her only crimes, if they could be called that, were to be rich and without any family that would look for her if she went missing. Lucille had taken care of everything. She was the only person he had left in this world. She wanted to help him. Still, what they had done, it was murder. He hadn't participated in the last act, but he knew about the scheme, the poison, he had doomed the girl on the day he had put a wedding ring on her finger. Lucille seemed to notice his uneasiness because she gently caressed his cheek.

"It's for the best, brother. The first one is always the scariest." She said, too sweetly for his taste. "Besides, she had a lovely end. No one would have loved her and her money would have gone to waste. You gave her the illusion of being a hero from the romance novels she fed her soul with. She left believing she was ill. Really, it's all for the best."

A huge splash from the red clay cisterns made them jump. Not thinking twice, Thomas grabbed a knife and Lucille a shovel, ready to investigate. They were aware that their own house had its particularities. Lucille briefly wondered if Margaret was still alive and trying to escape, while deep in her heart, she knew it wasn't possible.

"Dear God!" Thomas shouted

Before their eyes, a weird form, moaning in pain, covered entirely by the clay, was trying to make its way out of the tanks! Lucille approached it, not showing any sign of fear and smacked it down with one hit. The thing cried out in pain and was trying to crawl to them. Lucille gave it another blow, and if its voice was weaker, the being still cried out, between his coughs for air.

"Pl... Please! Help me..." It managed to say with, weirdly enough, an Irish accent.

Thomas got closer.

"Thomas! Back away!" His sister cried out, worried

The man ignored her and knelt, wiping some of the clay with his jacket's sleeve, revealing, to their shock, a human face.

"Who are you?" Thomas asked him

"Sean... Sean Nally..." The young man managed to whisper before passing out

Lucille quickly checked his pulse. It was weak, but it was there. That Sean was still breathing too. Yes, Allerdale Hall was filled with mysteries and particularities that rendered it so intriguing, even for its owners.

But since when did it send them crippled, half-drowned, dying young men through their red clay tubs?!

 **To Be Continued**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 2**

Lucille admitted shamelessly that she had been lost and unsure about what to do when that creature, that Sean, passed out of exhaustion.

What the hell was going on?

What had just happened?

Who was that man?

Why was he here?

And most importantly, what to do with him?

Thomas seemed to think faster than she did as he tried to carry the man by himself.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her voice shaking more than she wanted

"That man will die if we don't help him." Her brother replied

"This thing could snap your neck! It came from the tanks!"

" I've seen that. It doesn't change the fact that he will die if we don't help him. And if he dies, he won't have our answers. We'll decide afterwards."

He had restrained himself from suggesting poisoning him or smothering him in his sleep. The fact that the thought crossed his mind so naturally scared him to the core. Was Lucille right? The first one was the scariest, wasn't it? His first wife had just died by the hands of her sister-in-law, he had helped in setting her demise, he was feeling guilty five minutes ago and now, well, he had contemplated murdering an innocent that managed to survive God knew what, begging for their help.

"Can you help me, Sister? I'll definitely need your expertise."

Lucille managed to compose herself.

"You're the head of this house, Thomas. Of course, I'm by your side."

 _XXXXX_

Once Sean had been cleaned up, all of Lucille's fears about the being of the tanks being dangerous vanished.

Or almost all of them.

She was a suspicious woman by nature. That was her way to prepare and be able to protect her brother like she always did. But that thing, that Sean, looked like any other human being on Earth. And quite harmless too. Rather tall, he certainly was a soldier in the past. He was muscular, his body had signs of old wounds and burns healing. And of course, there was this missing leg. His right leg cut a bit under his knee. He had certainly lost it during the war that was raging. Thomas had told her he had spotted an Irish accent. It kept adding up. Right now, England and Ireland were at war for independence. His moves were certainly clumsy and slow. He could easily be neutralized if he appeared too dangerous to her own liking. His left hand bore the signs of a recent fight. Something had pierced it completely through. And of course, there was the fact that he had almost drowned. Harmless or almost indeed. Physically speaking, the man was gorgeous, she couldn't deny it. Certainly in his early twenties, mid at best, his features had that special particularity of showing a boy inside a man's body. His face was rather round with soft traits, a straight nose and full lips. While his hair was still damp, as it was slowly drying, it appeared to be a light chestnut colour. As for the colour of his skin, while she assumed he was not particularly tanned, he was still too white to make any deduction out of it. His forehead bore the trace of the shovel she used against him.

"He seems stable." She said, more for herself than for Thomas

"Yet, there is no denying he needed medical attention, and will still. You don't recover from almost drowning that easily. I fear his hand might have gotten infected with the water, the clay and the dust. He could have drunk some of the water too if he gasped for air under there."

"If he takes too long to recover, we'll have to get rid of him. We can't afford a useless mouth to feed, you know that."

"I'm not so sure."

Lucille looked at her sibling and raised a curious eyebrow when she saw that he was kind of excited by all of this.

"I'm sure I can make him a new leg in my workshop."

"And why would you show him this courtesy?"

"Because he can help me in return."

She smirked.

"I thought you had turned philanthropist."

A moan of pain startled them. They had almost forgotten that he lived.

"Looks like Sleeping Beauty is awakening." Thomas joked

 _XXXXX_

In the beginning, Sean couldn't feel anything. He was in that state where the body, the mind and the soul were disconnected, all three resting for a time they couldn't estimate until they reunited and read the hour on a watch or a clock.

Then, piece by piece, feelings came back to him.

First came the sensation of comfort, of warmth, of his body surrounded by something soft and hot, like a cocoon. It became more and more precise gradually. His fingers started to feel the fabrics under them, his back the firmness of a mattress, the skin of his face the gentle caress of the air surrounding him. Then, he was able to hear. He heard the rain hitting on windows. He heard two voices, a man and a woman, chatting peacefully.

All was well until several peaks of pains hit him like waves.

His hand was hurting him and something was preventing him to move it freely. A part of his head was throbbing. And while he could breathe, he could definitely tell they were recovering from some trauma, as they too caused him pain. His entire body felt weak and sore. He couldn't prevent his voice from cracking. He slowly opened his eyes. His hand, the one Edward had stabbed, was bandaged. By his side, there were a man and a woman. The woman seemed to be the oldest of them and they kind of looked alike. He felt too tired to try and study them more.

"Looks like Sleeping Beauty is awakening."

 _XXXXX_

Once fully awake, Sean tried to sit in the bed, only to groan and feel dizzy. Lucille sat by his side and offered him a glass of fresh water.

"You should take it easy." She said, offering her best smile and sweetest voice, gently stroking his arm in a sign of protection

"My sister is right. You gave us quite a scare, Sean Nally."

Accepting the glass, the sick man looked at his host, puzzled.

"How do you know my name?" He asked, his voice hoarse

"You told us when Lucille was hitting you with a shovel." Thomas casually replied

"I'm so sorry about that!" Lucille apologized "You were so scary, crawling and dripping in clay!"

"You asked her to stop, cried for help and when I asked you who you were, you told me."

Sean admitted he didn't really remember. Everything was blurry. The house in the forest, Edward, Rachel, the ghosts, drowning, coming back to life, that ghastly voice before the vortex... Just thinking of it made his head spin.

"Was... was there a girl with me?" He managed to ask

Brother and sister shared a worried look.

"No, you were alone." Thomas confirmed

Rachel had made it then. Sean wanted to believe she had survived too. He hoped that it had been easier for her.

"My name is Thomas, Thomas Sharpe." The man introduced himself. "And this is my lovely sister Lucille."

The woman smiled.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Sean Nally. Even if you knew that already." Sean awkwardly said

He then asked where he was.

"You are in Allerdale Hall. I actually am a baronet, this is our ancestral home."

"I'm in England?"

He thanked God he was actually good when it came to geography and tried to ignore the irony of almost dying in a cursed ancestral home to be found in another one, minus the ghosts.

"And you are Irish if I hear correctly?"

"Yes, I am, my lord."

"Lord?" Thomas raised an eyebrow

"You are a baronet. You are thus a noble."

Thomas caught Lucille's pleased expression. That man had just won points with his difficult to please sister.

"Tell us, Sean, how did you arrive here?" She warmly asked

"She's such a great actress!" Thomas thought

"You'd think I'm crazy if I told you the truth."

"We like a bit of craziness here." She insisted "Go on. We promise you, we won't laugh."

Sean tried to remember everything correctly and tried to explain the best he could, without exposing Rachel's family's secrets. No one else needed to know. He kept the names secret. He explained how he met her, how desperate she was to get out of a toxic place where she was held in like a prisoner, how he tried to get her out of there, only for the curse of the house to strike, causing them to almost drown, the voice and him finally emerging in Allerdale Hall. Facing their silence, he had expected anything but Lucille's hand gently taking his.

"It's true that it is a story no one will believe. But you have no reason to lie to us. No man in your condition has the strength to lie. I can't say I fully believe you. But I can't say you're a liar either. We'll leave you to rest."

"I know I already owe you a lot, but could I ask for a favour?"

"What is it?" Thomas asked

"Could you write my mother and my sister that I'm in England and that I'm fine?"

The man had a huge grin.

"I was about to ask you if you had any family members you'd like to contact. I will write them, just give me their address. I'll visit you later today, we have things to discuss together, once you are more rested."

 _XXXXX_

"You... You want to offer me a new leg?"

Sean was speechless. That lord, that Thomas Sharpe had known him for a day at best and he was offering to make him, not buy him, make him, a new wooden leg. He couldn't believe his ears.

"The money I had got lost in the water." He said sheepishly

"You don't owe me a penny! I love creating objects and I've never made a wooden leg before, so we are even. You need a leg and I wanted a new experience."

The bedridden young man offered him a small, genuine, grateful smile.

"So, that girl and you, you wanted to elope?"

"It was more running away than eloping. She wanted to run away from the prison that was her home. And the place I once called home turned its back on me because I fought during the war."

"You fought against the independence of Ireland?"

"Ireland is mistreated, yes. We deserve better, yes. But not like this."

"And now, you need a plan for your future."

"I had something in mind."

"I'm all ears."

"Lady Lucille and you have shown nothing but kindness to a stranger like me, who arrived in their home in an... Unconventional way. I broke into your house, even if unwillingly, and you offer me a bed, food, you heal my wounds. Now, you even offer me a leg. Even if it takes time, I want to repay my debt towards you, one way or another."

Thomas had a grin on his lips.

"You and I, we think alike! I had thought of something too. You told me you can't go back home, not to live there permanently. You see, I have a dream. I want to make Allerdale Hall as beautiful as it once was before my father ruined our family. Our family used to provide clay for Europe, even in the colonies. But right now, this is in the past and I intend to make it a current fact again. I am working on a machine to extract the clay. And I'd need a new pair of arms to help me work on it. And around the house too, for repairs. God knows how much this place needs it. Lucille would be happy to have someone help her too. If you know how to wash sheets."

Sean smirked.

"My family served as launderers for my "friend's" family. I know the basics of cooking, I know how to clean and even how to repair."

"Then Sean Nally, consider yourself part of Allerdale Hall. Lucille and I will offer you what you need to live: food, clothes, medicine. You will have your room here too. In exchange, you help us out."

A handshake sealed their agreement.

 _XXXXX_

"Is something wrong, Lucille?" Thomas asked as he was reading by the fireplace

It was getting late. The moon was high in the sky. He had joined his sister after making sure Sean was all right. He had found the young man fast and deeply asleep, exhausted by the journey he went through, maybe also the relief of knowing he was going to be okay for now.

"Did you find the girl Sean talked about?"

"No, there was nothing in the clay."

Her eyes were set on a piece of paper. Near her, the books containing their family's history and family tree.

"I don't like this." She whispered

Thomas hugged her.

"What is it?"

"An Irish man comes to this place through our clay due to ghosts or so he says. And we have received a letter from a cousin, apparently."

"Is he?"

"I've traced down her lineage. Our ancestors were brothers, so yes, she is a cousin. I still have some research to do though. There is something, but I can't put my finger on it."

The man took the letter and read. A woman named Rachel Sharpe, or so she claimed to be, announced that she had discovered their relationship as she was packing to leave her house, following the death of her twin brother, leaving her alone as her parents had died six years ago. She wanted to meet them, to get to know them, as well as some time to be able to think of a future for her. She had also sent some documents proving her claims. The seals were those the Sharpes used two centuries ago.

"Her request is reasonable enough."

"This place is becoming too crowded."

"Tell me. Is she from the "banned" Sharpes?"

"Yes."

"There you have nothing to worry about."

"I'm not afraid of her saying anything."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

Lucille pointed on the envelope the address it was sent from Loftus Hall, in the County Wexford.

The name of the village it was sent from was the same village Sean came from.

 **To Be Continued**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 3**

The first three days Sean spent at Allerdale Hall, he spent them in his room. Thomas insisted that he rested as much as he could.

"Besides, I haven't finished your leg yet, so use that time to recover. You almost drowned."

The young veteran hadn't tried to fight back. While he disliked laying in bed for too long because he felt lazy, he admitted easily that he felt drained of his energy. And while his first night there had been eventless, the two others were plagued by nightmares that left him waking up, sweat rolling down his forehead, gasping for air. Every time he closed his eyes, he was back in Loftus Hall's cellar, he was held back by the ghosts, they were killing Rachel under his eyes, causing him to scream and let water invade his lungs. They were drowning him again. They were tearing his good leg, his two arms, apart from his body. Rachel became one of them, pale, naked, her veins turning black and she ended up ripping his heart from his chest. And every time he woke up, the voice he had heard before that vortex saved him echoed in his head. He still couldn't understand what it had said. And for some strange reason, it was familiar. The second night, when he woke up from his dream, still in the middle of darkness, he had also seen a strange form, floating above his bed, seemingly covered in clay, its long and skeletal fingers trying to reach his cheek. He had closed his eyes, reopened them, the figure was gone. He assumed it was due to his fatigue and had managed to go back to sleep.

Lucille was very considerate towards him and he felt bad she had to bring him all of his meals to his bed. She was a lady, he was a lowborn, a nobody, and she was ready to spoonfeed him if it was needed.

"I'm so sorry I hit your head with a shovel." She had apologized

"I was an intruder in your house, covered in clay. You did the right thing."

The mistress of the house had offered to bring him books to pass the time, whenever he didn't feel tired enough to sleep.

"Poetry, perhaps?"

He remembered when he had told Rachel he would never be able to read poetry when she had asked if he knew a poem she was reciting. Rachel... Just thinking of her made his heart ache. He didn't even know where she was and if she was okay. One of them below had told him, before he was allowed to live, that Rachel had been saved.

But what did saved mean to them?

Alive?

Most certainly, after all, they had set him free too. But was she injured? Was she sick? Not knowing killed him but at the same time, he wasn't sure he could face her again. He didn't blame her for what had happened. When he thought back on it, she had been nothing but honest with him and he hadn't believed her. Him being dragged down by them wasn't her fault either. But seeing her, it would mean that what happened was real. Most definitely real. He wanted to forget about it. All he wanted was to bury this deep, lock it away in his heart and in his brain, and just try to live honestly. Seeing Rachel, it would mean remembering what happened. But at the same time, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Because he cared about her, he actually liked her. There was that connection, that spark! He wasn't sure if it was love because he didn't really believe in love at first sight, he was too old for that anyway, and war had taught him fairytales were just that. But as soon as she had spoken to him, despite her words, covered in harshness because it was an armour to protect herself, he had felt himself wrapped around her finger. He had been hooked on her charm. And now, he needed to gain his freedom. He'd be able to forget about her, with time, or so he hoped. Besides, even if he couldn't, there was no way they'd be able to be together. She was saved yes. But she had saved herself. And in the end, she was completely right:

He was just a cripple who couldn't save anybody.

She would forget about him quickly.

He needed to do the same, to bury her image, her voice, the softness of her lips, the warmth of her skin, in a corner of his brain.

He had been the price to pay for her survival.

His price to pay was to forget about her.

"You have nightmares? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Lucille gently scolded him on the third evening when she learnt he had sleep issues. "I'll brew you some tea for the night. Tea always makes people feel better."

She seemed rather surprised when he didn't have any particular expression when he drank it.

"It isn't too bitter?"

"I'm used to bitterness."

She had a mysterious smile on her lips, almost as if she enjoyed the double meaning he unwillingly gave to his sentence, one he had let slip through the cracks against his will. Sean didn't know what kind of leaves she had used, or what drug she had put in the beverage to make it work so well. All that mattered to him at that moment was that, whenever he closed his eyes, when he dreamt, he dreamt of his mother's shop, he dreamt of his sister Kay, he dreamt of his first crush.

Loftus Hall and Rachel were locked far, far away.

 _XXXXX_

Sean couldn't believe that Thomas had produced such a thing, in his spare time, as an amateur, in just five days. The leg he presented him was just splendid!

"You should see my first tries, that isn't a pretty sight!" The Englishman joked

Not only was the leg and the foot the right size so he could walk properly and even wear shoes, but the wood used for it also had an amazing quality. The articulations were stunning. The straps to attach the leg to his stump were made of a robust leather. The whole thing was lighter than his old one.

"How do you feel?" Thomas asked when Sean installed it and rose to walk a few steps to try it out.

"This must be how Lazarus felt when Jesus told him to rise."

The baronet grinned proudly.

"Are you sure you don't want any money for this?"

Having this leg for free felt wrong on so many levels! Thomas had made it out of kindness, for a stranger, and he had provided such an amazing product!

"I told you, just help me with the machine and Lucille around the estate and we're even. And talking about the estate, it's time you get to visit! I'll go fetch Lucille."

The Sharpes came back a few minutes after and Lucille had beamed when she saw Sean up.

"It is a heartwarming sight!" She declared "Now, let's go."

"However, I insist on that, if you feel tired or if your leg gets painful, we stop and we visit the rest later on." Thomas added "Besides, Allerdale Hall is very huge, even I don't know how many rooms we have."

Sean listened as Thomas explained the story of the house, of the family. The corridors were all long, wide and dark. The walls needed a fresh coat of paint, there was mold on the ceilings too. The estate seemed to be built in some kind of gothic style. While he hid it, Sean felt uneasy. This English touch, how decrepit the house was, a brother and a sister living alone in it, away from the village, it painfully reminded him of Loftus Hall.

"They're English, of course, their house has this style!" He lectured himself "Besides, unlike Rachel and Edward, they go out, people aren't afraid of them."

However, all of his fears vanished when they arrived at the main entrance. It was a wide room going from the main door to the great hall, where the Sharpes had installed their sofas, bookshelves and piano. When you arrived through the main door, there was a large stair made of mahogany wood, with ramps carved with arcs and braces. Once arrived on the first floor, there was some kind of gothic balcony, similar to the ones in churches, where Lady Sharpe could stand to watch her guests arriving. Behind her, there was a corridor to go to the rooms on the first floor. If she wanted, she could withdraw to the second floor, leaving the balcony. Another balcony, in the same fashion as the first one, was just above it, but not as advanced. There was also a more discrete one on the left of the stairs when people went up. The ceiling was very high, so high in fact that Sean almost felt his neck cracking as he tried to bend his head to see it. There was a hole in the middle, dust and wood fell right in the middle of the room, like a shower of petals. The walls were covered with family paintings, tapestries! The whole thing felt majestic and warm at the same time.

"I think Allerdale can count a new suitor." Thomas said when he saw Sean's eyes mesmerized

The great hall had the same vibe about it: old, medieval, regal, yet warm. There was a portrait of the Sharpes' mother Beatrice. She looked stern and strict. The siblings made him visit the kitchen, the laundry room, the several bathrooms.

"Don't be afraid when you use the water." Lucille warned him "Because of the clay, it starts as red before turning clear."

He nodded.

"I'm sure we don't need to make you visit the tanks." Lucille said "You can access those with an elevator, but I'm sure you don't want to relive how you arrived here."

Sean nodded again.

"I'll draw you a map." Thomas offered "And I'll make you visit my workshop later."

"How do you find Allerdale?" His sister asked

"This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen and I haven't seen even a third of it."

 _XXXXX_

Lucille was rather surprised to find Sean up so early, already cleaned up, as she was cooking breakfast.

"I'm ready to help you in any way I can." He said

"All right."

She had started with little tasks. She knew that, if she exhausted Sean right away, Thomas wouldn't forgive her. Besides, it would look suspicious, even for their own staff, the men that came to help Thomas. They all took a liking on Sean and having him here added up to their good reputation. The good samaritans who rescued a war-crippled veteran, offering him a chance to turn a new leaf. Shortly after lunch, she came to him.

"Thomas told me your family used to do laundry for another family?" She asked

"Yes, my lady."

"We received a letter from a cousin a few days ago, she arrives today. She will sleep in the room next to yours. Would you be kind enough to prepare her room?"

"Of course." Sean said, bowing his head

If Lucille had to add yet another thing on the list of her reasons to enjoy Sean, apart from the obvious respect he had for their status and his gratefulness, was that he didn't invade as much as she believed he would have. In reality, he was so discrete she often forgot he was there and he rarely asked questions. The ones he asked were always practical. And direct. He worked quickly, efficiently. She liked that.

"Any particular attention?" He inquired before leaving "Flowers?"

"As sad as it sounds, we don't know her, she's extended family. I don't know her likings. But flowers would be a nice gesture. I trust you on this."

"Yes, Ma'am."

 _XXXXX_

"And here we are! Allerdale Hall! Welcome home!" Sean heard Thomas tell his cousin from the first floor

"I hope you had a safe journey." Lucille said

Sean started to go downstairs as quietly as possible. He didn't want to break this family reunion. All he had to do was take the girl's luggage and set it in her room.

"Ah! Last but not least! Come down, let me introduce you!" Thomas called him

"Damn." Sean cursed himself

"Dear cousin, allow me to introduce you to..." Thomas started

"Sean!" The woman cried out as she ran to him and threw herself in his arms, under the astonished gazes of her hosts.

Frozen in shock, the young man hesitated for a mere second before returning her embrace, thinking that Life definitely wanted him to be reminded of Loftus Hall and of the ones below.

The woman in his arms, weeping, the Sharpes' long lost cousin, was no other than Rachel.

 **To Be Continued**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 4**

Thomas and Lucille were frozen in shock as Rachel was in Sean's arms.

"Well, the world is small! It appears you two know each other already!" The man joked

Lucille's mind was racing. And her first thought about Sean being dangerous came back to her. The woman he had tried to save, it was Rachel, from the banned line of the Sharpe family. It still didn't explain why he came through the tanks, but the mere fact that he was connected to this branch of the clan made him threatening.

"They were banned two centuries ago." She reminded herself "Things could have changed. We lost all contacts with them after they were banished."

If she had to be completely honest, she sided with the banned Sharpes. Two hundred years ago, their ancestor, George Sharpe, had banished his son Francis and daughter Mary, twins, because they were caught while having an "unnatural physical intimacy". Brother and sister claimed they were in love and would not be separated, especially when Mary was with child. To avoid tarnishing the family name with the shame of public execution for incest, to get rid of that stain on the family legacy, George had given his son a huge sum of money and his estate in Ireland, Loftus Hall, if he moved there with his sister and never returned to England. For the rest of the world, Mary would move to Ireland for her health and Francis wanted to keep her company. They were to be kept inside, raising their demon spawn, and if they were to ever say they were Sharpes, assassins would come to slit their throats opened but not before making them see life escaping their baby's body. They couldn't go outside the gates of the estate, vital necessities would be provided to them, leaving them only the lake for walks, they couldn't write to anyone. Basically, they were being buried alive in the middle of nowhere, because their sin was to love someone they weren't supposed to. Lucille had no idea what happened to Francis and Mary after they went in exile, or how their line managed to survive up until this day. In fact, she always found it extreme to ban two souls who had found each other, just because they happened to be related. She knew how it felt, loving someone society didn't want you to love, just because he was family.

"There is something off about her, though." She thought

But right now, all she could do was smile, pretending she was happy her cousin had reunited with a long lost friend.

"I thought you were dead." Rachel whispered between her tears

Sean could feel how tight she was hugging him. He wanted to return her embrace just as strongly, but a part of him prevented him to do so.

"I suggest we all go have dinner. The journey must have been tiring." Thomas offered

Rachel nodded and as Sean was taking her luggage, the baronet turned to him.

"Sean, once Rachel's bags are in her room, join us. We'll wait for you to start digging."

Rachel let herself be guided. And while Allerdale Hall was gorgeous, she couldn't focus enough on her beauty to enjoy it. Her heart was racing. Sean was alive! She didn't know how he had managed to survive, how he found himself here, but what mattered the most was that he had been spared. Back there, in that cellar, when he had dived in to rescue her, the ghosts had grabbed him to make him sink. She had tried to reach to him but they prevented her and all she could do was to watch as Sean was dragged down in the darkness. She didn't know how she had managed it, but she had been allowed to reach the surface, emerging through the lake in her estate. The morning had risen. Rachel had returned to the house, to search for Sean and to see how Edward was doing. Edward had managed to reach his bed but it was obvious he was dying and there was nothing she could do. And, near the cellar's trapdoor, the others had rejected Sean's wooden leg. Their message seemed clear if she wanted to be free, fine. But that was all she'd have of the man she brought into this home. Her price to pay for her freedom was to be all alone, her brother and her lover dead. She had searched if she had any relatives alive, finding the documents that belonged to her ancestors. And now, not only did she still have a family, Sean was there, alive. Just thinking about it, she wanted to cry again.

"I hope you'll like English gastronomy." Lucille quietly said

"I am sure I will love it."

 _XXXXX_

Sean joined the Sharpes rather quickly and quietly sat, not wanting to disturb things any more than he already did. He tried not to stare at Rachel, to be as discrete as possible, to make himself very very little.

"So, you two know each other." Thomas started "Care to explain how you two met?"

"Sean saved me from the local bullies." Rachel explained as she was catching food with her fork

"I just told Dessie to leave you alone." Sean shyly specified

"I was doing my grocery shopping at Sean's mother's shop, the Nally. As I went out, a man named Dessie came to me, accusing me of spying him and a young woman in the forest."

Rachel willingly hid Kay's name. Sean didn't need to know his sister was harassed by him. He certainly knew already.

"Sean saw Dessie wouldn't leave me alone, so he came to us and told him to leave me alone, allowing me to go home." She continued "He even went as far as following me, to make sure Dessie wouldn't go after me."

"A real knight in shining armour." Lucille smiled

Sean didn't reply.

"We met again the following days and we connected." Rachel ended

The young veteran remained silent. He had nothing to add. Besides, he didn't know what he could add. He felt out of place. And his heart was filled with confusion. He was relieved beyond belief to have seen that Rachel was alive, that she was well, that she wasn't going to be alone. And God, she was still the same girl he fell for! The way her eyes betrayed her heart's thoughts, her warm smile, her dignified grace and manners! But as he feared, seeing her meant what he went through was real. And she'd certainly want to talk about it. It would be natural if she did. And, of course, he could always tell her he didn't want to even think about it. That would be running away though. He couldn't pretend that nothing had happened, that they could resume their relationship where it had been stopped. Besides, even if they had survived, they wouldn't be able to be together. Rachel was from the aristocracy. He was just a former soldier, missing a leg, and not even English.

"So, do you have any plans for the future, Rachel?" Lucille asked "Marriage, maybe?"

The idea had crossed Lucille's mind. Rachel was the perfect candidate. She certainly was rich, she didn't have any family left except them, and even if they were related, two centuries had passed, the blood had been mixed enough to avoid public scandal. If she was to discover her and Thomas's secret, she wouldn't be in any position to complain due to her family's banishment. They'd get Loftus Hall back and her cousin seemed to be quite frail. Her health would be blamed for a sudden and lethal illness. After her demise, they could sell Loftus Hall, get even more money back and Thomas would certainly have the funds needed for his machine. Of course, there was Sean. He knew Rachel and he wasn't stupid. He'd certainly put two and two together. They could always make him visit the tanks again. Or he'd die of a sudden illness too and they'd claim it was because he was so dedicated to Rachel's person, he nursed her, he caught what she had and died too. That would be enough to keep his mother and his sister away from prying into their affairs.

"I doubt anyone would want to marry me." Her cousin answered

"Don't be so modest! You are a pretty young woman." She smiled

"True." Thomas added "But Lucille, Rachel is only eighteen. She has time."

Lucille placed her hand under the table and pinched her brother's leg. He understood he had made a mistake.

"First of all, I need to figure out what to do with my life. I need to find a job. However, I am not sure what I could do. I was pretty much sheltered my entire life. I don't really know how the outside world works."

"You want to work?" Lucille inquired

"My family's finances are drained. I have nothing left apart from Loftus Hall, and it is in pitiful shape."

Lucille scratched her idea of having Rachel's savings. However, having her marrying Thomas could still work. Loftus Hall could still be sold.

"What are you going to do with the house?" Thomas wondered

"I'll sell it. The house, the furniture, the portraits, the land, everything. I don't want anything from this place. I've suffered too much there to want any keepsake."

"You want to sell it?!"

Sean cursed himself for his outburst as all eyes were now on him. It had come out of his mouth without him thinking. The house in itself was harmless, but what was below it... Rachel gave him a soft smile.

"I know it seems like a huge sacrifice." She managed to correct his mistake "But I can't do anything else to save it. I have debts. The money I'll get from selling it will not only erase them but give me a bit of saving for me to live on. I'll have a priest come too."

"A priest?" Thomas quizzed

"People in the village are superstitious. My family lived there as a recluse, it's to ease their spirits. Besides, a godly touch won't harm. It could set my family's soul to rest. And bless the future owners."

Sean bit his tongue and wanted to slap himself. He was such an idiot! He had completely forgotten Rachel had debts, while he had heard his mother tell her she couldn't give her groceries on credit any longer after that week. And he should have guessed Rachel wouldn't have sold the house without trying to resolve the ghosts' issue. But it had been beyond his control. And deep down, he was afraid they'd be able to reach them, even far away from the village. He felt pathetic. And weak.

"You are home, Rachel." Thomas said "You can take your time. Is there anything you're very good at?"

"I do love books and poetry. But I am not sure I could be a writer."

"You can always give it a try."

The room fell silent shortly afterwards, the peace of the place only disturbed by the sound of the cluttery against the plates. After a few minutes, putting down her glass of water, Rachel looked at Sean and asked the question that was burning her lips from the very beginning:

"How did you arrive here?"

The young man froze, unable to respond immediately. He was unsure how he could explain. He knew he could simply tell her what he had told Lucille and Thomas. But while the siblings seemed sceptical but inclined to give him a free pass, Rachel knew the truth. She'd validate it. And they'd both be considered crazy and perhaps even thrown outside.

"Meeting my shovel." Lucille joked

He mentally thanked the woman for this, whatever he'd explain, she and Thomas would continue to believe what they wanted to believe, without thinking he or Rachel were madmen. And he knew Rachel was sharp enough to understand the situation.

"I was still in the water, drowning and about to pass out when a voice echoed. It told me you were safe. Then, I heard another voice, a man. I couldn't understand what he and the other voice said anymore. But after they were done arguing, they freed me, some kind of vortex formed and it pushed me up until I reached the surface. The surface being one of the clay tanks of this house. I got out of it, completely covered by it. Lady Lucille thought I was an intruder or a beast and she hit me with a shovel before Lord Thomas realized the truth."

Rachel didn't say anything but he could see the relief, as well as some questions, in her eyes. However, she didn't express them.

"Lord and Lady Sharpe took me in. They saved my life and nursed me back to health. Lord Thomas even made a new leg for me. I now work for them, in exchange for their kindness."

Surprising him, she took his hand and gently pressed it. She looked at her cousins, a soft and grateful smile on her lips.

"Thank you so much. I don't know how I could repay you for this. You saved Sean's life. You took him in. And now, you even take me in."

As Thomas was starting to say it wasn't a big deal, that it was natural, all of that nonsense, Lucille kept eating, her mind working like a machine. This was going to be even more complicated if they wanted to marry Rachel off to Thomas. First, she needed to convince Thomas to marry her. The biggest obstacle remained Sean. Not that he'd be opposed to the wedding, he was clever enough to understand his place and not step out of his boundaries. But Rachel clearly had feelings for him, romantic feelings. She wasn't sure about Sean though. He was harder to read. While it was obvious he cared for Rachel, she couldn't see any signs of infatuation. Then, an epiphany came to her. It was much simpler actually! Why even bother marrying Thomas to Rachel? The girl had spoken of paying back her debts. There was the possibility they'd gain something from her, marriage or not. Besides, they were about to receive Margaret's money. They still had time to think ahead if it ran short before Thomas managed to have a working machine to extract the clay. Rachel had nowhere to go, she wouldn't do anything stupid. She owed them a place to live in and her precious Sean's life. And if they became too bothersome, she'd get rid of them. Or she'd repeat history by sending her away again, with some coins, and Sean to be her bodyguard. However, all of this meant one thing:

She was right from the very beginning.

Sean Nally, even if he didn't realize it, was very dangerous indeed.

 **To Be Continued**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 5**

Laying on her bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling, Rachel couldn't fall asleep despite being tired. If her body yearned rest, her mind was still racing, trying to answer questions, to ease itself from doubts. Most of them concerned Sean. The first mystery she was facing was why he had survived. Oh, she was thrilled beyond belief that he did! He was an innocent she had dragged in her nightmare and during the days she had spent after that horrible night, the guilt of knowing she had caused his death was eating her alive. Why did the others below spared him in the end? Why did they send her his leg, if it hadn't been to tell her "be free but alone"? What had happened down there to make them change their mind, them who never changed it in the first place?

"Sean is alive." She reasoned herself "The reasons do not matter for now. We'll find them soon enough, and if we don't, it won't change anything. Sean lives. That is the most important."

Yes, Sean lived. And they were reunited. Geographically only. Sean seemed so distant! So cold! Of course, there was the shock of seeing her again, she could perfectly understand that. And he had experienced something she didn't even want to imagine. She had shattered his world, what he had believed in. He had almost died. All of that because of her. Even if she hadn't meant it. And while it was true Sean wasn't very talkative in the first place, he had never been so disconnected. Almost as if he was trying to block her from his mind.

"I may have the wrong idea though." She thought "Maybe he doesn't know what to say."

After dinner, he had been tasked in showing her the way to the bathroom, so she could have a nice warm bath before she went to bed.

"Don't be alarmed when you start running the water." He had flatly said "Due to the clay under the house, the water starts red before turning clear."

When she had finished, he was still at the entrance of the room, in the corridor, waiting for her.

"There was no need." She told him, ill-at-ease that he had waited for a long moment

"You don't know the way to your room."

They had walked in awkward silence but what eased Rachel's mind was that, when she had wanted to take his hand, he didn't fight back and even entwined his fingers around hers.

"Something has changed. Of course, it did. Before, he just thought I was lonely, desperate and in danger. He didn't believe in ghosts. Now, he knows they're real, but at what cost?"

Yes, she had destroyed his life. Before he had helped her, he was Sean Nally, a young war veteran coming home after losing a leg, helping his mother and his sister with the family shop he certainly would have inherited when Maura would have retired. Now, he was Sean Nally, a young war veteran far from home, exiled by the ghosts of Loftus Hall, serving an English family, with even more horrible memories to plague his nights, but with no one to share them so he could forget them. She sighed before leaving her bed.

"I need some air."

She exited her room and walked to the balcony. The great hall was illuminated through the ceiling's hole, filling the area with the light of the moon. Under its rays, the small pieces of wood, of stones, of dust, looked like thin snowflakes. It was almost magical. A weird sound broke the enchantment of the contemplation. Turning her head on her left, Rachel spotted a figure in the dark.

"Who's here?" She called

She didn't get any reply. She walked a few steps before she heard the sound again, it was shrieking. Suddenly, something appeared before her eyes. Floating in the air, a figure covered in red clay was making its way to her. Its skull was opened. It extended its arm to her, to her neck. Rachel hadn't moved at first, too shocked by what she was seeing, but when she felt the skeletal fingers of that being on her flesh, she snapped out of it and ran as fast as she could, hoping her room would protect her. She opened the door, got inside as fast as she could and slammed it behind her, only to find herself nose to nose with Sean.

"Dammit..." She cursed herself

If he seemed surprised, he didn't press the matter further. He looked as if he had just woken up, startled. Sweat was rolling down his temples. He had just escaped a nightmare.

"Rachel?" He asked "Do you need anything?"

"I thought I saw something." She started "It must have been my imagination."

She didn't want to tell him she had seen a ghost. The last thing he deserved was his new safe haven to turn out to be like Loftus Hall. The irony though, leaving one haunted castle to end up in another one.

"Why are you here?"

"I mistook your door for mine." She answered sheepishly

The young man had a small, gentle smile.

"It's true it's huge here. Thank God Lord Thomas gave me a map. Can't sleep?"

"It looks I'm not the only one."

"I can. I just don't do it well."

Sean sat on his bed. He moved to the side and patted the mattress with his hand. Unsure about what to do, Rachel didn't move.

"I'm not going to eat you." He said

She joined him and sat by his side. They remained there in silence, not knowing what to do, what to say. Anything they had in mind seemed too awkward, too stupid.

"How did you survive before coming here?" Sean ended up asking

Rachel was grateful he tried to do small talk.

"I was given shelter in churches. I sold a few trinkets to be able to send a letter and then pay for the travel."

"You don't have your silver pendant anymore. The one your mother gave you."

"I left it on her grave before I left. This pendant... It was bound to the curse. It was the gift of pure engagement."

Sean didn't reply. He had seen the family portraits in Loftus Hall. And while it was clear Rachel wasn't the woman painted, the women all looked exactly like her. He had quickly understood what the curse consisted of. Isolating two siblings, forcing them into a relationship, the image of the ancestors, their physical appearance at least, getting immortal through the sin repeated generation upon generation. It was no wonder Rachel wanted to escape this fate, those rules.

"Your brother died, didn't he?" He inquired

"He did." She admitted "He told me he was sorry they took you."

"He had been possessed, it wasn't his fault. I'm sorry you lost him."

"I kept it, you know?"

"Kept what?"

"Your leg."

He looked at her, puzzled.

"I came back to the house the following morning, as soon as I had reached the lake's surface. The others had sent your leg back. I took it and kept it. I thought they had sent it back to me to tell me you were..."

"Dead."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you, I tried, I..."

"Rachel." His voice cut her. "There was nothing you could have done. Besides, I know you tried. I've seen it."

"Then why are you so distant with me?"

Her question seemed to have hit a sensitive spot as he looked at her, completely shocked. He sighed.

"I'm sorry I gave you the impression I was angry with you." He apologized "Because I'm not. I never was. There was nothing no one could have done."

"Do you still love me?"

Did they even love each other in the first place? They shared a bond, true. They had a spark, a connection, true. But they had known each other for a few days before all of this happened. Was it just a common infatuation because they were lonely?

"I could never stop loving you, even if I tried to."

His voice was shaking.

"Before you arrived here, I was worried about you, your safety. I missed you but at the same time, I wasn't sure I wanted to see you again because... Because it would have meant everything was real. When all I want is to put this behind me. The nightmares were painful enough. I'm such a coward."

She took him in her arms, he let her. He even cuddled against her, allowing her to caress his hair.

"I'm sorry. I'll try and be better, I..." He repeated

"Don't. It's okay. I should have known."

After a few moments, he asked her why she kept his leg.

"I would have loved to see the priest's face when he saw it." He added

"I kept it to remind me that I was free because you sacrificed yourself for me. That I had to live, not only for myself, but also for you, because you couldn't anymore, or so I thought. To remind myself of my vow to never marry or have children."

"Why would you vow about that?"

"Because the other men aren't you. And the children wouldn't have been yours. It didn't feel right."

"How does it feel like now?"

"I am just happy that I can be with you again. And this time, I want to be the one helping you. You saved me. I hope I can "save" you too."

His small smile on his lips warmed her heart. The fact that he fell asleep in her arms, trusting her, meant the world to her. Sean still loved her, despite everything, but what he had been through had scarred him. For some reason, they were granted a second chance. She wanted to take it. And deep down, she knew Sean wanted it too. Whatever problem they'd encounter, they'd face it.

They'd face it together.

 **To Be Continued**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 6**

The following night, Sean couldn't find comfort in Morpheus' arms, no matter how much he tried to. Not even Rachel's warm embrace helped. They had decided upon sharing a room at night, in all friendship and honour. Nothing controversial would happen anyway unless talking or playing cards would have counted for sexual innuendos. Her presence had a soothing effect on him. When he had fallen asleep in her arms the previous day, he had slept without dreaming. He had forgotten how amazing it felt to sleep without fear.

"Sean..." She whispered his name in her sleep

He found himself looking at her, smiling like an idiot, or at least, he felt like an idiot. The day had been tiring for her, between visiting Allerdale Hall, Lucille and her trying to find clothes from the lady's wardrobe that would fit her and all the paperwork that she needed to fill out. She was adamant on selling Loftus Hall and she had already found priests to try and set the spirits under the house at peace before the place would find a buyer. She had shown him the amount of money she owned. It was true the furniture of the manor, the painting, the jewels, were valuable.

"You know, just by selling them, your slate would be wiped clean." He had commented

She had indeed asked him for his help with the numbers, being a shop owner's son, he knew his way around bills.

"I don't want the house. I don't want to live there anymore. To live in Ireland again, maybe. In Wexford, maybe. But never again in Loftus Hall, never again in that village. I'd feel like I'd be spied on by the ghosts of my past."

After calculating how much Rachel would gain upon selling the house and its belongings, assuming she'd sell all of this to the price she had imagined, Sean had managed to determine that not only she'd be debt-free, she'd also have some savings for herself. Not a fortune, true. But she'd be able to rent a place of her own, maybe even invest in some financial plans for her money to grow bigger and thus increasing her wealth.

"I'll give the rest to Thomas and Lucille, for Allerdale. We are family, I want to help them and it's the least I can do. They welcomed me while we knew nothing of each other, they saved you. I'll find a job. I could try and write for a newspaper. There's an earl's daughter in Yorkshire that started to do so. Lady Edith Crawley, I believe."

"Or you could become the next Mary Shelley."

"You overestimate my talents. I thought I could try being a seamstress while writing. I must start somewhere and I'm not half bad with a needle."

It was stupid, he knew, but he couldn't help feeling proud of her, even now, hours later, when she was most likely dreaming about him. She was stronger than she looked, stronger than him even. Oh, he knew she'd say it was because she was used to living with ghosts and curses, a constant sword of Damocles above her head. There was truth in that, he could see it. Still, he felt she was superior to him, in every way.

"Well, if I can't sleep, I should just walk around." He thought

He left his bedroom and went to the stairs leading to the great hall. That was strange but he loved looking at the dust falling from the hole in the ceiling. It was easing, in a way. He briefly wondered how his mother and his sister were doing, if they thought of him, if Thomas' letter had reached them. The last thing he wanted was for them to worry about him. A creaky sound and cold atmosphere startled him and as he turned around, he saw a floating being. Its face was a skull instead of flesh and eyes, its figure hollow and it was a red as the clay under the house.

"Sean Nally..." It hissed

He blinked, thinking he was dreaming or hallucinating. The spectral appearance was still there, growing closer as it moved towards him, its icy skeleton finger strangely caressing his cheeks.

"H-how..."

Was Allerdale haunted too?! It seemed logical, Loftus Hall had been haunted and he knew Allerdale Hall also had its share of corpses. He was a young boy when it had happened but the new of Beatrice Shape found dead, no, massacred in her bathtub had reached his small Irish village. And he knew she certainly wasn't the only dark secret around the place. Huge aristocratic families all had dark spots on their names they tried to hide. Now that it was closer, Sean could see a gash on its head.

"Who... Who are you?" He managed to stutter

He wanted to run away, as far as possible but he felt his feet frozen, they wouldn't obey him. He was paralyzed by fear, his body shaking. He felt he was back in Loftus Hall, under the cellar, about to drown. The others' arms and bodies had also felt cold to the touch. He could almost feel his lungs burning again. Was he destined to become the prey of the undead? What had he done to deserve that?

"What do you want?" He kept asking, his voice barely higher than a murmur.

To his genuine surprise, the ghost caressed his cheek and weirdly enough, it almost felt gentle. It suddenly disappeared, only to reappear on the higher stairs. It looked at him as if it was waiting for him to join it. He found himself walking and obeying. He didn't know why. It was beyond stupidity at that point but he couldn't help it. Whatever this thing was, it had a purpose and it had sought him. The ghost took him to Lucille's chambers. Only then it completely vanished, allowing him to see that the lady's door was wide opened...

Only for him to see her kissing her brother in the neck, her hand trying to find its way under his trousers.

Lady Lucille Sharpe and her brother Thomas were reenacting the sin Rachel's ancestors had committed so long ago, leading their descendants to isolation and despair.

* * *

Thomas had been the first one to notice him, shortly followed by his sister when she had felt something was wrong with him. Sean was standing there and it was obvious he had seen everything. The siblings parted and Lucille was already planning how to get rid of him, permanently. He was a threat now, way too big to be kept.

"I could kill him and disguise it as a suicide, then I'll tell Rachel that his trauma was too big for him to fight. Yes... Shell shock. That will do the trick." She thought

However, the Irishman's reaction startled her. Surprised, most definitely. But she saw no trace of disgust in his blue eyes.

"That doesn't mean anything, he keeps to himself, besides, no one could accept that. Mama couldn't. Not that it stopped me though."

His first move was what shook her to the core, almost killing her murderous wish in its egg.

Sean raised his head, his eyes suddenly drawn to the ceiling and he simply turned his back, while not leaving and he simply stated:

"I... I didn't see anything. I'll leave you alone. I'm sorry for disturbing you, My Lord, My Lady."

As he started to walk away, Lucille took her shawl and followed him.

"Sean!" She called out. "I'm not stupid nor am I blind, you saw what we were doing."

"My Lady." He said. "Whatever Lord Thomas and you are doing is none of my business."

"You must think it's atrocious."

"Whatever I think doesn't matter."

"It's true that you know Rachel. You must know the history of the first owners of Loftus Hall. I tend to forget that."

She wasn't naïve. Sean certainly found it disgusting, like the rest of the world, not understanding that sometimes, soulmates could be found within the family.

"It's not about my friendship for Rachel."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Lord Thomas and you found me, nursed me back to health and offer me a home in exchange for my services, you have shown nothing but kindness and patience to me. It'd be ungrateful of me to judge or make remarks on your private lives. This house isn't mine, I'm a guest. I have nothing to say."

If he had to be completely honest with himself, Sean felt sick to the core. He couldn't understand how a brother and a sister, born from the same womb, weaned from the same breast, could even begin to feel physically attracted by one another. He knew aristocrats tended to marry each other, to marry between cousins but brothers and sisters?! But right now, he had nowhere to go and little money to get by. If he angered them, he'd be a beggar on the streets and no one would hire an Irishman, let alone a crippled one. Rachel would also be all alone again. He couldn't afford that. And it was true, the Sharpes had been nothing but wonderful to him.

"Nothing of it will come out of my mouth. I give you my word. While I know this is quite a weak guarantee. I'd understand if you said you don't trust me about it."

"Nothing at all?"

"Lord Thomas and you have my loyalty."

To say Lucille was baffled was an understatement. She had expected everything but that.

"He is certainly trying to save his skin, his job and his living, on top of also trying to remain with his dear little Rachel." She wondered. "A pragmatist."

She sighed.

"What were you even doing up there in the middle of the night?" She asked

"I couldn't sleep. So I decided to walk around the house. My feet must have led me to your rooms while I was deep in my thoughts. It won't happen again. I'm sorry for disturbing your peace, once more."

"How can I be certain of your silence?"

"No one would believe me if I spoke." He spoke. "Who would believe a crippled Irish boy lost in England? They'd say it's just another scum from Ireland, a rebel that should be shot right on the spot, especially when he is spitting on the family that so kindly took him in. Because you and your brother are loved, My Lady. A man like me fighting a family like yours? It's suicide. And as I said, I don't want to repay your generosity with tarnishing your good name."

"He has a point." Lucille thought

It was true. They were in England and the majority of people loathed Irishmen. He was a nobody, Thomas and she were socialites. And he seemed adamant on not speaking. That was a huge leap of faith, a risk she'd never take. She knew that. But the circumstances were different now. The man wanted to keep quiet, knew his place and felt bound to this house out of duty and honour. Virtues she actually liked.

"I'll keep an eye on you." She finally declared

He kept silent but nodded.

"If that is all, I'll go back to my chambers. Goodnight, Lady Lucille."

"Goodnight, Sean."

As she was returning to Thomas, Lucille briefly wondered if she was right, if she hadn't committed a folly. However, up to this day, Sean had never broken his words. He had promised to work for his living, which he did. He was efficient. He was discrete. And he had spoken of loyalty. Again another quality she liked.

"Please, don't kill him." Thomas pleaded once he saw her again.

"I don't plan to." She replied

His relief was apparent as well as his surprise a few seconds after.

"Really?"

"I have my reasons. He can be convincing. Besides, you still need him for your machine and he keeps Rachel out of our business."

She softly caressed his hair.

"Now, brother." She lovingly said. "Where were we?"

 **To Be Continued**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 7**

"Ah, Sean, laddie, there's mail for you!" William shouted as he arrived near the main door.

Sean put down his box and smiled at the old man. At least, he tried. He hadn't slept well at all these past few days. While he got on well with everyone around Allerdale Hall, William Finlay had that grandpa vibe surrounding him. Truth be told, he reminded him of his own grandfather, one he had few memories of as he had died quite early in his life.

"Thanks, Mister Finlay."

"Call me Will, Lad."

The young man smiled and checked the envelope. This was coming from County Wexford. From home. He opened it immediately, too excited at the idea of reading Kay or his mother's words.

It read:

 _Dearest Sean,_

 _Mom and I are so very happy and relieved you are safe and sound, in a place that welcomes you and treats you so well. You can imagine our surprise when we received a letter from an English baronet! We've been the talk of the village for quite a while!_

 _When everybody learnt you were there, working for nobility, the reactions have been a bit mixed, as you can imagine. I don't have to remind you of how you were welcomed home not so long ago. Mom and I have been anxious, you had disappeared so suddenly! Though Mom immediately knew it had to do with Rachel. She left the morning of your disappearance. We found a small amount of money for us at the post office from her, with a note. A start of payment for the debts she accumulated at the Nally's. There is absolutely no sign of her brother, we assume he's dead. No one dares going there and make sure he is though. I wanted to go, so I could give the poor soul a proper burial if he had passed away, but Mom forbade it. She said the house had claimed you and she didn't want to lose me. Truth be told, I think Mom is going mad. Indeed, I can't find a reason for your arrival in England. Even with the fastest boat, you couldn't have settled in Allerdale Hall so quickly! Mom states that, somehow, the house drove you there? In any case, both of us are overjoyed to hear that you are okay, with someone who treats you well. You should have seen Sir Thomas's letter to us! He wrote to us as if Mom and I had been royalty! There is a separate letter coming for him and Lady Lucille, to thank them for their hospitality and to let them know we'd be delighted to return the favour, in case they need one._

 _By the way, from what we know, Rachel went to England as well. I know England is wide and it'd be unlikely you'd cross path with her again. However, if you do, let her know I found her locket on her mother's grave. I allowed myself to put it in a small box and bury it under the tombstone. I didn't want anyone to steal it._

 _I hope you'll take time and write to us more often._

 _Your loving little sister,_

 _Kay_

"Good news?" William enquired

"From my sister. She says Mom and her are glad I am working for Lord Thomas." Sean smiled

"Sir Thomas." The older man corrected

Sean looked at him, confused.

"Isn't he a noble?" He asked

"He sure is. But even between nobles, there are distinctions. You see, Sir Thomas Sharpe is a baronet. He owns lands but he doesn't sit in the House of Lords. He's about the same rank as a knight."

The Irish man awkwardly looked at his feet.

"Then, I've made a fool of myself from the start."

William laughed.

"Don't say that! I'm sure Lady Lucille was delighted you called her brother a lord! And if Sir Thomas didn't say anything, then it means it's okay in his books. Telling you just in case we have a visit from other nobles. Don't want them going around, saying Irishmen have no education."

"Not many Englishmen would do that."

"Lad, we live in Allerdale. We're all family."

"Well said, William." Thomas' voice echoed from behind

They turned around and bowed.

"I see you've received your letter too, Sean." The baronet smiled. "Your sister seems like a sweet girl."

Sean proudly grinned.

"Could I have a word with you in private?"

He followed his protector inside and into the drawing-room.

" Sit. I haven't had the chance to properly speak with you since... The events from the other night." Thomas started

He didn't utter a word. There was nothing for him to say. His mind hadn't changed one bit. He found carnal relationships between a sister and a brother to be absolutely disgusting. However, this was a matter that concerned Lady Lucille and Sir Thomas only. They had been kind to him when they had no reason to. And on a more selfish note, he wanted to preserve his living. He had learnt, a long time ago, that if words were silver, silence was gold.

"I know Lucille keeps an eye on you."

"I am her employee."

"That's a very diplomatic way to say it. Also, if you write to your sister or your mother, I can almost guarantee Lucille will read it first. I'm against it but..."

"Lady Lucille is only looking out for your safety."

Thomas looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"You really should become a diplomat."

"I have nothing to hide. I know what I can or can't say. I promised Lady Lucille I would keep quiet and I will."

"I know you will. Thank you for that. Sean, are you okay?"

The young man looked very pale and as if he was suffering from a migraine.

"I have troubles sleeping these days. Nothing that should worry you." He tried to explain

"You should have told us, we have tea for that. Also, if you have things on your mind, feel free to talk to me. You indeed work for this family, but I like to think we could become friends. Truth be told, I could use one."

Sean offered him a smile.

"It's about Rachel, isn't it?" Thomas tried "I know you two are close."

"I know my place, Sir."

What he had told her on the night they had reunited was painfully true. He couldn't stop loving her even if he tried to. He had tried convincing himself it was just a crush, they never said "I love you" to one another. He had told himself she was of noble birth, he was an Irish peasant, she was with her family now, surely she'd marry into the aristocracy, as it was expected of her if she decided on not remaining a spinster for the rest of her days. She was out his league, all he could offer her, all he should offer her really, was his friendship and respect. He had wanted to say this to her so many times but in her presence, the words got lost in his throat, almost strangling him. Whenever she appeared, he felt his resolution crumbling away. The headaches had started when he had considered telling Rachel they should just remain friends. They grew worse each night, at every twist his heart made to make him walk the path of duty. They were so bad they kept him awake most of the nights and too weak to get up and walk around. The ghost of Beatrice, or he assumed it was Beatrice, didn't reappear to him ever since he had learnt of her children's nasty affair. And all he could do was to keep quiet. Thomas and Lucille would never believe him if he told them he had seen their mother's ghost. It was a miracle already that they didn't pry further into how he got into their clay tubs in the first place. And he couldn't bring himself to tell Rachel the place was haunted. She had left her family manor, occupied by the spirits of her ancestors, hoping to find in Allerdale Hall a safe haven. He didn't want to destroy the peace she was slowly building for herself. Thank goodness, Thomas seemed to understand as he didn't press the matter more than he did.

"Can I ask you a question?" He changed the subject

Sean nodded.

"Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?"

He sounded so serious it got him worried for a moment. He knew the Sharpe family certainly had more secrets up its sleeves but Thomas sounded almost defeated.

"I believe in redemption, yes." He carefully replied

"But do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? Even if they did something unspeakable?" Thomas asked again

"That depends." The young man answered. "What did the man do?"

His tongue was burning, he wanted so badly to know if he meant sleeping with his sibling. But he saw no way of bringing this naturally and elegantly. His place there wasn't secured, he was still walking on eggshells, even more when he now knew his correspondence would be watched before sent to the post office then to Ireland.

"If a man helped in the murder of someone who trusted him and loved him but regretted it, could he have a second chance?"

"A lawyer would ask if the man had special circumstances."

"Then, be that man's lawyer."

"Is that man under the influence of another person? The one that actually committed the murder? Is that person under blackmail or a threat against his life? How much did he help in the murder?

"He is under influence, yes. But he still has a brain. He could have put a stop to it before it was too late. After all, he was the one helping with the murder weapon."

"That's a good thing your man realizes it. But it doesn't diminish the influence he's under."

Seeing Thomas lost in thought, he added:

"If that man manages to break free from that influence and is genuine in his guilt, I see no reason he shouldn't be given another chance, so he can make amends and live a better life, growing from that experience. The world is a dangerous and nasty place to live in. Still, we have to try our best not to get too tainted by its darkness."

" So, you believe there is hope for that man yet?"

"I believe that man isn't as horrible as he thinks he is. He bears the weight of the life he helped taking, he understands what he did was wrong, he wants to end the cycle and better himself. In my books, that's a man I could be rooting for, if sincere."

For some reason, the baronet seemed relieved.

"Thank you, Sean. Really. I appreciate it."

"All those fancy words and you can't even apply them to yourself!" A voice echoed

Sean frowned and from Thomas' expression as he was pouring himself a drink, he hadn't heard anything.

"You are such a hypocrite!"

The voice was familiar, too familiar. He shivered. That voice... was the one he had heard back when he was under Loftus Hall, the male voice speaking to the raspy one who had declared Rachel had been saved.

"You definitely don't look good!" Thomas worried "Go to your bedroom and rest, I'll have a doctor come later if you are still unwell."

"I'll be fine, besides, there is work to do..."

The young man tried to rise from his armchair, his leg trembling. He felt his head was about to burst, the pain throbbing against his temples and forehead. He was getting dizzy, the world blurry. He heard Thomas call his name again.

Until he couldn't see, nor hear, no feel anything anymore.

 **To Be Continued**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 8**

Thomas had screamed for help. William and another man arrived and helped him, carrying Sean to his bedroom. The baronet noticed the Irishman seemed to get paler by the minute and from the discrete pearls of sweat on his forehead, he seemed to have a fever as well. And it couldn't be because of an infection due to the clay. His wounds had closed up perfectly, leaving a thin scar that would fade with time. That could mean only one thing in his mind:

Lucille was poisoning the man.

Sleep issues, apparent migraine, fainting... Those were symptoms Margaret had experienced before she passed away, murdered by her afternoon tea. However, he was a bit surprised by how quickly it seemed to work on Sean. Usually, the victims didn't faint before they had started to cough up blood and from what he knew, he hadn't experienced that. And it couldn't be due to a weaker organism because of his near-death experience, he had recovered from that. The only thing that came to mind was the possibility of Sean having poor health but again, he had shown nothing of the sort. Unless he managed to hide it from them.

"What's going on here?"

He turned around, seeing Lucille near the door, Rachel on her heels. The young woman paled as soon as her eyes fell upon her friend's lifeless form and she entered right away, making her way by his side. His sister stood there, surprise painted on her face. Genuine surprise. Thomas knew her well enough to decode her facial expressions. He started to doubt his logic. What if Lucille hadn't poisoned Sean at all? What if the young man was simply ill like anyone could be from time to time? No, it had been too sudden!

"Sean lost consciousness while we were having a chat." Thomas explained. "From what we know, it seems he had a rough time getting true sleep these days."

"The poor dear." She said, faking a saddened look for the employees. "I'll have a look at him. If I can't do anything, then, we'll have no other choice than calling the doctor."

"I'll watch over him tonight." Rachel immediately volunteered.

"Thank you, my dear." Lucille replied

As the men went out, Thomas took Lucille somewhere private and whispered angrily:

"Did you poison him?!"

Her startled look fed his mind. Was it possible she had nothing to do with this?

"Of course, I didn't!" She answered. "I would have told you if I did! After all, I promised you I wouldn't harm him!"

"He's under your watch."

"Yes, because he saw us! But right now, he is true to his word! Nothing led me to believe he was selling us out!"

"He has the symptoms Margaret showed!"

"I chose my poison so the symptoms would pass for an illness! Seriously, Thomas, how can you be so dense? I told you I'd leave him in peace!"

"I simply can't believe he just fell ill like that! You don't faint like that because you have a few roughs nights in a row!"

"Believe what you will but I didn't spice his tea up!"

He sighed.

"I'm sorry."

She smiled at him.

"Don't you worry. I understand your logic. But you are right, something is off about that man."

"Don't tell me you wished he died in the clay or by the grace of your shovel?"

"I actually don't mind him. He doesn't take too much space. I'll try and see what he has."

* * *

Rachel had taken the opportunity by the horns. Lucille busy with Sean's diagnosis, she managed to sneak out. There was something on her mind, a theory she needed to prove. When she was by Sean's side, while Lucille was told what had happened, she had heard a voice. A ghastly, rough yet familiar voice. And judging from everyone around her, she had been the only one to hear it. Sean's was ice cold to the touch. It reminded her of her brother's.

"Sean arrived here through the clay tanks. He said he was drowning under the manor, he heard a voice and he was here the second after. And from what he told me, the voice he heard sounds familiar to the one I have heard."

Her brain was working fast. Her ancestors had been banished to Loftus Hall from Allerdale. Was it possible the two estates could be linked by the water underneath them? Was it how Sean arrived in England? Because the two were connected? If so, how? She went to the library where she searched for traces of Francis and Mary Sharpe, about their banishment.

"What are you doing here?" Thomas asked

She almost jumped, surprised.

"The medicine books aren't on this shelf." He added

"I was trying to find out more about our parentage." She explained, feeling playing the honesty card was the better way to get out of this.

"You're trying to keep your mind occupied." He said

She stared at her feet.

"I get that." He continued with a kind smile on his lips. "I know it seemed scary for you. Sean is your friend. He will get better, I'm sure of it."

She nodded.

"I'll leave you to your research then."

He left and she kept going. After a while, she found an inventory of what the twins had been allowed to take from Allerdale before going to Ireland. One item was particularly strange:

A phial filled with some of the red clay that belonged to the clay tanks.

Next to this, a mention: _To remind themselves where they come from and what they lost._

She gathered her thoughts. There was indeed a phial in the attic but it was empty. And, in their family, they never really spoke of their past, just the rules, then the curse would hit them as soon as the parents died. In other books, she found traces of the pieces of information the spy placed by George Sharpe sent to his master. Francis and Mary had twins themselves. The twins ended up repeating the sin of their parents, getting pregnant as well. Their parents murdered the staff who tried to have their daughter miscarry and sent the bodies in the lake to drown. Once certain their babies and upcoming grandchild would be well, burdened by the murders they had committed, they killed themselves together, drowning themselves in the lake, to join their victims. As for the spy himself, from what she read a few lines down, after this, he was allowed to stay in County Wexford and married.

"Maybe... Maybe Francis and Mary emptied it in the lake when they arrived! That must be it! They certainly infused the lake with the clay! For them, it was just something to have a bit of Allerdale with them forever. But the repeated sin, the murders, it triggered the curse! The water became a link between the two houses. This is why the cellar was flooded and filled with creatures. Lust and blood were the nails in the coffin that Loftus Hall became! The rules were cruel derivatives of the orders Francis and Mary were under. Sean must have drunk some water while he was under the manor! He... He could be cursed himself, haunted by one of the ghosts! They might have released him but who knows what punishment their twisted minds came up with!"

She kept reading and her heart sank when she saw the man's name:

Wyatt Nally.

She wondered if Fate had a dark sense of humour or if it was just cruel.

Sean certainly was a descendant of Wyatt.

And now, she had a theoretical motive.

Sean certainly drank some of the water as he drowned, was sent here because she was saved and someone pleaded for him. Thanks to the links created by her ancestors' sin and the infused clay, he found himself banished in England just like the first set of twins was banished to Ireland. And one way or another, they certainly knew whose blood he had running through his veins. Were they trying to punish Wyatt through him?

"I am the death of him..."

* * *

When Sean opened his eyes, the moon was high in the sky. In an armchair near him, Rachel had fallen asleep. On the nightstand, a bowl filled with cold water and a cloth. Was she keeping an eye on him? He didn't deserve it. As soon as he thought that, an excruciating pain came back, burning his temple. He bit his lip, trying his hardest not to wake Rachel up.

"You are a coward!" The voice he had heard before exclaimed

"Who are you?" He managed to whisper

He blinked as something was forming in front of his eyes, blurry and dark. But soon enough, it took a human form, the appearance of someone he had encountered before:

Edward Sharpe, Rachel's twin brother.

"You're... You're Rachel's brother..."

"And you are the man she wanted to whore herself for so she could escape the curse."

"Rachel isn't a whore!" He hissed

"No. She isn't."

He wanted to get up but all the strength he had vanished.

"You are a coward. You are finally reunited and you want to break her heart!"

"It's the last thing I want to do to her!"

"Then why are you thinking about leaving her? You love her and yet, you want to push her away. I should have let you drown down there!"

He blinked.

"You... You were the voice who..."

"Yes, I'm the one who pleaded my ancestors to set you free! They told me Rachel was saved, that she'd certainly come home in England! I begged them to send you there so she would not be all alone in a strange land! You were ready to die for her but now, you don't want her anymore?!"

"If you are spying on my thoughts, then you know why!"

The ghost grabbed him by the throat and pushed as hard as he could.

"I could kill you right now, you know! But that would leave Rachel all alone with those freaks I don't trust! Your ancestor spied on my family to prevent our sin from going public! We paid enough for it! Now, it's your turn! You helped in destroying our world! And the only way for you to redeem yourself now is to do as I say: Your life is in Rachel's hands! You are her slave if not mine! You will protect her or die trying to! She gets to decide if you two are separated or not: You aren't relevant, you don't matter, so you shut up and you obey!"

Sean could feel his lungs burning.

"I thought you were pure-hearted, like she is, hence why you two hit it off so easily! If you are just like the others, I don't see why I waste my time with you and why I don't kill you on the spot."

Edward saw him mouthing something. He managed to read it.

 _If you kill me, you will break Rachel's heart and she will be defenceless!_

The ghost saw his sister moving.

"Do not fail me again! And keep quiet about me!" He growled before he vanished

Sean gasped for air and started to cough. Rachel woke up instantly and helped him sitting down before she offered him a glass of water.

"You should go to bed..." He managed to say

"For once in my life, I'm not forced to be in bed by midnight's bell." She joked. "I don't mind, really. Just rest. I'm right by your side."

She gently put her hand on his forehead. The fever hadn't died but it felt slightly weaker. He closed his eyes, exhausted. It wasn't until he was completely asleep that she finally noticed something strange on his body:

Red marks around his neck, fresh, burning to the touch, as if someone had tried to murder him.

No one had entered the room, she was sure of it. It confirmed her fears, someone was haunting Sean! She adjusted the sheets around his shoulders, hoping he was warm enough.

"I don't know if you can hear me." She whispered. "But whoever you are, show yourself and face me! I'm the last heiress of Loftus Hall, the last carrier of the sin Francis and Mary committed! Leave Sean alone and fight me instead!"

The sound of the wind was the only answer she got. She sipped the now cold tea Lucille had brought her earlier.

This was going to be a long night.

 **To Be Continued**


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 9**

Despite her fatigue, Rachel was adamant on staying awake, fighting her closing eyes, Sean's regular breathing being the only thing that managed to keep her away from Morpheus' arms. It sounded so painful she could feel her own lungs burning. The marks on his neck were now cold, slightly vanishing away. She took a sip from her now ice-cold tea, trying to stretch, her body aching from her nap in her seat. Shivering, she regretfully left the warm embrace of her blanket to revive the slowly dying fire in the fireplace. A soft knock on the door startled her. Lucille's graceful form appeared as she opened it.

"I was just checking on you. How is he?" She asked

"Slightly better, I think." Rachel said. "His fever seems at the start of breaking down."

"Do you want me to watch over him so you can get some sleep?"

The young woman smiled at her cousin.

"I'll be fine. But thank you very much. I appreciate it."

"I'll bring you some more tea, then. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you so much."

Lucille left her, not without looking at Sean before she did. Rachel actually liked Lucille but she was very hard to read, leaving her always puzzled as her true feelings and thoughts. There also was something dangerous about her. She reminded her of the belladonna flower: beautiful but deadly. Rachel never really knew how to really act around Lucille, always careful. Thomas was way easier to live with. He was so open, so warm, so friendly... And so innocent. She knew it was weird to think that about a man grown, Thomas certainly wasn't a saint, no man from the aristocracy really was. No one really was except babes on their mothers' breasts. But while Lucille was a diary with a lock, Thomas was an open book, his posture, his expressions, his eyes, everything gave him away and the person he gave away was someone genuine, friendly and to her own astonishment, tortured. She didn't know why. She didn't really meddle into it though. She was family, true, but above all, she was just a guest and unlike Sean, who worked in exchange for the food on the table and the roof over his head, she was just another mouth to feed who didn't add anything precious in the household. Her situation was precarious and she had to be careful, to walk on eggshells. Sean slightly moaned in discomfort, turning around in his sleep, before he seemed to find a more agreeable position to sleep in. Curled in his sheets, he seemed so weak and fragile it was scary. It was weird to think like that, especially when they had known each other for a few weeks only by now, but when he had shown up in her life, when he stood up to Dessie when he was bullying her, he had turned into a rock on which she could lean on, even mentally, to give herself hope and courage.

"Well, according to him, it wasn't our first meeting."

Sean had once told her, during a sleepless evening, that they had met before, she simply was too young back then to remember it and he had connected the dots only on the day he returned to the village after he saw her again, learning she was the girl of the mansion and her name. According to him, when he was seven and her four, he had accompanied his mother to the entrance of the manor, helping her carrying huge baskets of sheets and cleaned clothes. She had warned him on not entering the house and he had remained behind her the whole time. A woman had opened, Rachel's perfect lookalike, and behind her leg, a small curious girl with a thumb in her mouth, staring at her with her big expressive eyes. It had been the only time he had been to Loftus Hall, hence why he remembered it so well.

She walked to the bed, adjusted the sheets around his shoulders, noticing that, even asleep, he wasn't really peaceful, his face showing pain. He reminded her of a hurt animal, hiding away to lick his wounds, of a small puppy, lost, trying to get warm while desperately waiting for his mother to find him and lead him to the pack. Her eyes were drawn to the finger marks on his pale skin.

"Who did that to you?" She whispered "Father? Mother? A ghost of one of the staff murdered by my ancestors? Why are they doing that to you?"

She felt powerless and this sensation crushed her. Sean had saved her. She wanted to return the favour but right now, he was laying in front of her, suffering and she could not do anything about it.

"I'm so sorry..." She quietly said.

She felt tears burning her eyes, she quickly dried them with the back of her hand. She wasn't going to be a weak and sobbing damsel in distress. She had been that already and it had almost cost Sean his life. She stared at the moon outside.

"I know you are here." She started. "I know you are haunting Sean because he swallowed some of the water from the cellar as you tried to murder him. And now, you are making him sick for a reason I still need to discover. Don't be a coward and face me! Face the last heiress of your cursed family who broke free! If you need to have revenge, have it on me, not on the help!"

The fire in the fireplace flickered and the room suddenly felt icy. A small fog even came off her lips as she breathed out. She felt a presence behind her. Turning around, she discovered her brother. The ghost of her twin brother, standing there, pale, translucent, smiling at her with such fondness she found herself smiling back.

"Edward..."

"Rachel!"

She could see how he yearned to hug her and how it destroyed him inside to know he couldn't, not really.

"You came!"

"Well, you called."

"I need your help." She explained. "Someone from our family is haunting Sean, putting his life in jeopardy for a reason I cannot grasp."

His smile dropped.

"Don't you know who he really is?" He carefully asked

"He's from Wyatt Nally's family. The man who spied on our ancestors when they moved in Loftus Hall."

"He's his direct heir. Our family showed me their past."

"How did they?"

"We're not on the same existence plan, you and I. Anyway, they showed me. Sean is Wyatt's direct descendant and heir. And as if that was not enough, he is Wyatt's exact replica. Wyatt destroyed our ancestors' world in England by spying on them while in Ireland and his doppelganger destroyed our world, sending you back in England. How ironic."

"Sean's innocent! I'm sure he does not even know his ancestor is linked to ours! I don't know who haunts him but please, tell him to stop!"

"I can't."

"You can't or you don't want to."

"Both."

Before she could even muster a reply, he added:

"I'm the one who haunts him."

Edward could see the betrayal and disgust in his sister's eyes and it hurt him.

"I thought you were sorry they took him..."

"I didn't know he'd betray you, even after I saved his ass."

Puzzled for a moment, she realized the voice Sean had heard in the cellar, begging for his life, was Edward himself.

"As I was dying, the ghosts came to me. Some of them. I asked them to set him free if it wasn't too late. You were saved and according to them, you'd certainly go back home as Life is just that twisted. I told them he could protect you. I had no idea they'd send him directly here, in Allerdale."

"He betrayed me, you said?"

"You should read his mind! You rule his entire thoughts. And yet, he wants to let you go. He won't fight for you. He won't even fight the order to have you. Why should I be glad he'd let you go when the only reason he's alive is that I said so?"

Rachel was looking at him with all the contempt she was able to gather.

"You sound like a petty child." She spat. "Don't you think I'm aware of some of his feelings? I share them! I wouldn't fight either if it meant he's happy because I bloody don't deserve him!"

"He doesn't deserve you. All he's good for now is serve you. After all, Wyatt served a Sharpe. If he even tries to leave you to have his own life, I'll take his heart in my hands and squeeze until all of the blood in his arteries drown his lungs."

"I thought we were past that when we last talked when you were alive... But even dead, you are still under their curse. I pity you, really."

He seemed about to reply when someone knocked on the door. He vanished as quickly as he could.

"Come in!"

Lucille opened, carrying a tray with hot tea and some biscuits. And for one, her face was just like Thomas': an open book where Rachel could read shock.

"What is it?" She asked

Lucille quickly composed herself.

"I thought I saw something. Just a shadow. Drink while it's still hot."

"Thank you."

As Lucille closed the doors, her eyes hardened.

Sean Nally was dangerous indeed:

Not only did he carry her secret, but he also brought a new ghost in this already haunted place.

She'd have to tell Thomas about it.

 **To Be Continued**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Crimson Peak belongs to Guillermo del Toro and The Lodgers belongs to Brian O'Malley.

Summary: Sean Nally was supposed to die that fateful night when he tried to help Rachel escape her fate. He was supposed to be the price of her freedom. So why and how did he find himself in Allerdale Hall, far from home, serving the Sharpes?

Author's note: Please note that my first language is not English, it's French. If you find any mistakes or weird sentence, let me know, so I can better myself. While I know I am almost fluent and while I do read after myself and use Grammarly to help, sometimes, a mistake can pass by.

 **Entwined Souls**

 **Chapter 10**

Thomas groaned as his sister was shaking him up, urging him to wake up. Her hands were cold and her eyes clearly agitated. This was enough to take him away from sleep's embrace. Lucille was never scared. He couldn't even remember a time where she was. She wasn't scared when she made sure their father punished her instead of him, even if it meant being beaten. She wasn't scared when she made the first move on him, making their relationship go beyond a brotherly bond. She wasn't scared when she murdered their mother with an axe while she was in her bath, to protect what they were. She wasn't scared when she had hatched her plot and then effectively saw his first wife die so they could get her money. Nothing had seemed to frighten her until this night. She was pale, nervous and seeking his comfort.

"Wake up, for Heaven's sake!" She pleaded angrily

"I'm up, I'm up! What is it?" He asked

"There's a ghost!"

He looked at her, confused. He was well aware of their manor being haunted. Why was it such a surprise for her, all of a sudden? It wasn't as if she didn't know about their mother's ghost being here and still she carried on with their affair.

"And this is why you wake me up in the middle of the night? You know the place is haunted!"

"Do you take me for an idiot?!" She hissed

"Then, for God's sake, woman! What is it?!" He shouted

"We need to get rid of Sean."

"Not this nonsense again!" Thomas whined

"The man is haunted!"

The baronet froze and his sister could see she had captured his attention.

"I brought Rachel tea. And when I entered, I saw a ghost. Clearly different from the ones we have here. It vanished as soon as I entered but not fast enough for me to not see it. It had seemed to fuse with him. He saved Rachel back in Loftus Hall and came through our tanks. I don't know how he managed it but he brought one of the banned Sharpe's souls in our walls. He needs to go! The ghosts here are bad enough, we don't need to deal with yet another one!"

"And what would you have me do?"

Thomas' calm startled her. She had expected him to side with her immediately, no questions asked. She knew he had grown fond of Sean and she admitted herself that he had good reasons. He was hardworking, knew his place, didn't take much space, was discrete, was straight forwards and he had kept his mouth shut to this day. But she was worried, worried that this shade he carried inside of him would interact with their mother's ethereal being. Shortly before she killed her, Beatrice had received a letter from Sarah, Rachel's mother, begging them for an allowance of some sort, their money getting so short the manor was falling apart, despite them living modestly. Lucille herself had read the letter and could remember it well. Their heartless genitor had burnt it, stating they had gone mad because of the inbreeding. If they were poor, they had to go out and work.

"Are you sure of what you saw?" Her brother carefully inquired

"I'm not mad!" She snapped. "I saw a ghost and not one of our ghosts!"

"The thing is, Sean is popular around here. I can't just throw him out! That would raise questions. Rachel would be going too."

"Thank God! I wouldn't have to feed four mouths instead of two anymore!"

"Besides, was it being dangerous? Aggressive?"

"Actually no... I heard voices. It was as if it was having a conversation, a civilized talk. Maybe heated but polite. I saw no signs of a fight."

"If it's indeed a ghost from Loftus Hall, Rachel may be the only one to calm it down."

"Do you think it could be what caused this sudden illness?"

"It's a possibility. Right now, there is nothing we can do. We know nothing of that spirit and our hands are tied. I suspect Rachel of knowing things. She was researching her family history. Maybe try and talk to her, gently."

"Aren't I gentle?" She pouted

He smirked.

"You can be the sweetest. Please, Lucille. Calm yourself down and go to bed. The only thing we can do now is watching over the situation and gather information."

He pushed himself further in his bed, taking out a part of the sheet, allowing her to come near him, nestled between the layers of fabric. It was a rare occurrence for Thomas to console his sister. He was happy he could do it once in a while.

* * *

The fire in the fireplace flickered again and Rachel felt coldness surrounding her once more as Edward reappeared under her eyes.

"That was close!" He sighed

"Too close!" She berated him. "This place is haunted too! I have no idea if Lucille and Thomas know but I don't want them to freak out! If they throw me out, I'm homeless!"

Still asleep, Sean shivered. She went by his side and adjusted the sheets once more before reviving the heat.

"You love him, don't you?" Her twin quietly inquired

"I don't know if you could call it love." She replied as she finished her business. "Before he drowned in the cellar, we had known each other for three days. There was a spark, an attraction, true. Especially on his side. When he saw me, I reminded him of someone. Of my three years old self when he accompanied Maura once to help with the sheets. Our hurt brought us together. Now, it has been a few weeks. I can't say it's love, I don't know if it is. What I know is that I do care for him, a lot. I can't bear to see him unwell, sad, unhappy. He's the only man outside of the family for whom I've felt this way. Besides, you know his side of the story. You certainly heard when he confessed to me he couldn't stop loving me even if he tried."

Her eyes fell upon his neck, the marks having almost completely faded.

"What happened to you, after you died?" She asked in a soft voice

"My soul left my body."

"Is it... still there?"

Rachel did her hardest not to picture her brother's corpse slowly decaying in their parents' bedroom. It was too much to bear.

"Sean's sister came."

She froze. Kay had entered the house?!

"Please tell me they spared her!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"They did. They told me so. They tell me everything that is going on with the house." He smiled. "She was scared, of course. Our place is rumoured to be haunted. So she shouted loud and clear before she entered that she was here only to check on me if I was alive. If I was, then she'd leave me be and if I was dead, then she was here to give me a proper grave. Which she did, to the best of her abilities. She also buried your locket in a box near Mother's grave so robbers would not steal it. I'm pretty sure she disobeyed her mother, she kept repeating "sorry Mom"."

The young woman sighed in relief. Edward wouldn't rot hidden away and forgotten.

"Bermingham's body was given back by them. People found it floating on the lake's surface. They all think he killed himself because you had run away and I was missing, so he wasn't able to collect our debts." He added

"I've started to pay them back." She informed him. "I do seamstress' repairs so I am not a financial burden for our cousins. Edward... I plan on selling Loftus Hall."

To her surprise, his expression didn't change, calm as ever.

"It's the best thing to do." He admitted. "There is no point in it standing as the curse is broken."

She wondered if it really was. Her brother was haunting Sean. If she gave herself to him, wasn't she giving herself to her sibling as well, recreating the vicious circle she fought so hard to break? Technically, Sean and her weren't related by blood, so it wouldn't be a problem but Fate could be twisted. She knew that all too well.

"I'll have priests come there and purify the place. But... Will it affect you?" She worried

As much as she had been angry with him, he still was her brother and she loved him. She didn't want to hurt him or be a cause of his death once again.

"Sean's a vessel to me. I'm bound to the water he swallowed under. It infused in his blood. I won't be harmed by the exorcism. I'll be able to reach Heaven or Hell once my soul here will be at peace and it won't be until I know you will be well."

"I can take care of myself. You don't have to do all of this."

"I have to. It's my penance. I made your life harder than it should have been."

"You know how I feel about Sean and you know him from inside. You know everything there is to know. Why are you still haunting him?"

His gaze became harder and darker.

"Because you aren't safe here. There is something dangerous about this place. And as long as I am not sure of Sean's loyalty and undying feelings for you, I cannot leave you."

"But you can make his life easier!" She pleaded. "If you have to stay, then stay but don't make him suffer! I'm sure you can communicate with him with other means than headaches or fevers!"

"I can talk to him easily." He confessed. "But when I want to materialize myself, it takes a toll on him, his body isn't strong enough to just shrug it off. No human being's body can."

Rachel took his hand, she could feel her fingers going through his, yet she could swear Edward's warmth was still there somehow.

"Please, don't be so harsh on him." She asked him. "You know what he's made of. You know what's in his head. If you two have to coexist, for the time being, be his friend rather than his poison."

Edward didn't reply as he slowly vanished. However, she heard a small moan coming from Sean's mouth. His traits were softening, his body letting go of the tension, the pain fading away. He finally seemed at peace, sleeping off. She touched his forehead. While still hot, the fever was losing its battle. She smiled.

"Thank you, Edward." She whispered as she kissed the man's cheek.

She hoped her twin could feel it through him.

 **To Be Continued**


End file.
